FOIA

The Freedom of Information Act, commonly known as the FOIA, was enacted by Congress in 1966 to give the American public greater access to the federal government's records. The Electronic Freedom of Information Act Amendments of 1996 expanded the scope of the FOIA to encompass electronic records and require the creation of "electronic reading rooms" to make records more easily and widely available to the public.

FCC FOIA Reports

Finding the Information You Need

You do not have to file a FOIA request to obtain records which the FCC makes routinely available for public inspection. Many of these are available on the Commission's web site[2], and you are encouraged to review the Commission's web site before filing a FOIA request as you may find what you are looking for much more quickly. In addition, the FCC provides an Electronic Reading Room[3] containing the following information:

Final opinions and orders

Specific agency policy statements

Administrative manuals and instructions to staff that affect members of the public

Records disclosed in response to a FOIA request that have become or are likely to become the subject of subsequent FOIA requests.

If you have questions concerning FCC matters, but do not need specific documents or records, you do not need to file a FOIA request. FOIA requests should only be used for existing documents and records, and not for general questions. A request involving general questions may be returned to the requester as an improper FOIA request. Please contact the FCC Call Center at 1-888-CALL-FCC (1-888-225-5322) for inquiries concerning the FCC.

The FCC regulates interstate and international communications by radio, television, wire, satellite and cable in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and U.S. territories. We have no records or documents to provide for any subject areas outside of the FCC's jurisdiction, including records maintained by other Federal Government agencies or any government agencies at the state or local level. The FCC does not provide FOIA services for the entire Federal Government. If you wish to make a FOIA request for records maintained by another Federal agency, please use the link below to access the Department of Justice's FOIA.gov web site.

If you are uncertain whether the FCC is the appropriate government agency to request the information you seek, please contact the FCC Call Center at 1-888-CALL-FCC (1-888-225-5322) before submitting a FOIA request.

File a FOIA Request for FCC Records Only

FCC uses FOIAonline[5] to manage FOIA requests. With FOIAonline[5] you can submit FOIA requests online, track the status of requests, search for requests submitted to other Federal agencies using FOIAonline[5], and generate agency-specific FOIA reports. To file a FOIA request for records kept by the FCC, please go to FOIAonline[5]. Choose "Make a FOIA Request" and, using the drop down menu, select Federal Communications Commission.

The Office of Government Information Services (OGIS) was created to offer mediation services to resolve disputes between FOIA requesters and Federal agencies as a non-exclusive alternative to litigation. Additional information about OGIS can be found at ogis.archives.gov[6]